【Series: The Days Norick Lived】 "It's impossible that the reason for winning was 'inspiration'," says Honda Racing School Suzuka Moto Principal, Hiroyuki Okada

Norick, Norifumi Abe, dreamed of becoming a professional rider, honed his skills at Circuit Akigase, and then went to America for training. He became the youngest ever All Japan Road Race Championship winner, debuted in the Road Racing World Championship, and aimed for the top class championship.
He always looked forward, forged his path as a rider, exuded an overwhelming aura, and captured fans' hearts with his carefree smile.
People who met him in each place where he lived intensely – from Norick's childhood, his friends at Circuit Akigase, to the All Japan Road Race and the Road Racing World Championship – shared their memories with him.

Was he a rider from the future?

Currently, I am the Moto Principal of Honda Racing School Suzuka for privateers aiming for the world stage, and when I interact with young riders, I often feel that their responses and thinking are different from our generation.

Then, sometimes I get the illusion that I'm talking to Abe. He's natural, nonchalant, and has a modern feel. I can't express it well, but... was he a rider from the future? Because his very existence was unconventional.

When Abe first appeared, I was a GP250 rider, so I didn't have much contact with him. Still, the 1994 Japanese GP left a strong impression. Shinichi Itoh had started competing in GP500 in 1993, and Abe was running ahead of Itoh, so I thought, "What's going on?" I was a GP250 rider and thought, "Next is Itoh."

Not only that, but he was fighting for the lead with Kevin Schwantz... Everyone must have been surprised.

After Abe started competing in WGP, we would have casual chats in the paddock, like fellow Japanese riders. I don't remember having any particularly deep conversations, but he became one of my fellow riders. Abe really admired Itoh, and I thought they were very close.

I started competing in WGP in 1993 as a GP250 rider, and in 1995, I won the Suzuka 8 Hours with Aaron Slight. My performance was recognized, and I was able to step up to GP500 in 1996. However, I was racing with the two-cylinder NSR500V developed by Honda for development, and although I took pole position, I couldn't reach victory and finished 7th in the rankings.

The 1999 Brazilian GP is still a regret

Nevertheless, from 1997 onwards, I was able to ride the four-cylinder NSR500 and competed until 2000. During this era, Abe and I raced in the same class and often competed fiercely. Since neither of us would back down, we sometimes collided and went off track.

Abe won the 1996 Japanese GP. He qualified 11th, while I was around 5th. I was on the NSR500V then, and since Suzuka is my home course, I thought I could do better than at other circuits. However, I finished 4th and didn't make it to the podium.

What was impressive was the 1999 Brazilian GP. I qualified 5th, and Abe was 12th. In the first half of the race, I was fighting for the lead with Kenny Roberts Jr., but in the middle of the race, Abe caught up and we battled. He overtook me on the straight, and I caught up on the corner braking, but my front tire hit Abe's rear tire, and we went off track...

We were able to get back on track, but we were left behind in the lead battle. However, Abe continued to catch up to Roberts Jr. and eventually won in a duel with Max Biaggi.

In the 2000 Japanese GP, Abe qualified 5th, and I was 8th. Abe took the lead towards the end of the race and won, while I battled with Nobuatsu Aoki for 3rd place and finished 3rd, standing on the podium together.

In 1997, I achieved my first victory at the Indonesian GP and finished 2nd in the rankings. However, I feel that 1999, when I won three races and finished 3rd in the rankings, was a period when I had become more accustomed to the machine and was riding better. That's why the battle in Brazil, with its lingering regret, remains in my memory.

It's impossible to win on inspiration alone

In the 1999 Brazil GP, Abe qualified 12th. It's impossible to win from there. In the 1996 Japanese GP, Abe also came from 11th on the grid to win. In a WGP interview I saw before, he attributed that ability to "inspiration." Even now, I wonder if it's possible to do something like that just by being inspired.

In front of me, there was always Mick Doohan, and I challenged myself to defeat him, who was fast and strong. I thought of him as a rider I had to surpass, both mentally, technically, and as a person. But Abe, rather than focusing on immediate rivals, seemed to be chasing something further ahead.

Watching Abe ride, there were times when he seemed to be riding very smoothly, but his downshifts were noisy and rough. I found it interesting because I could sense his inner state, whether he was rushing or just letting his mind race ahead.

Overall, I had more wins in previous races, but Abe possessed an inexplicable speed and had a unique riding style. I think his riding was top-notch among the riders I've ever seen. He was reckless, but I think he had something that allowed him to instantly master anything. Is that something called talent?

He was a different kind of rider from me, who started racing after graduating from high school and worked diligently.

I guess you call riders like Abe geniuses.

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